Never Forget
by 2211Nighthawk
Summary: My own sequel to Ratchet's Sick Days by Autobot Chromia with author's permission. First Aid knew that Ratchet's time was almost up. But when Optimus walked out of Ratchet's room, a look of complete sorrow open in his faceplates, he knew that his mentor was gone. Rated T just in case. OPxFirst Aid


**First of all, this is my first FanFic, so go a little easy, this was very hard to write.**

**After reading _Autobot Chromia's_ Ratchet's Sick Days, and with permission from the author, I wrote a short sequel to it. **

**I do not own _Ratchet's Sick Days_ or Transformers...ect ect ect. I only own my summery.**

He knew.

He hadn't seen Ratchet in… He paused. He had lost track of the years. The last time he had seen his mentor was when Ratchet had left to join the Prime on Earth.

He was one of the few mech who knew about Ratchet's condition, but when Optimus himself asked him to come to Earth because Ratchet was having seizers, he knew it had to be bad.

He didn't know what to expect when he, Aleta-1, Preceptor and the Prime walked through the spacebridge to the Autobot base on Earth.

What he didn't expect was Ratchet unconscious on the floor.

He knew then how serious Ratchet's condition had become.

They had taken him to Iacon, but Ratchet still got worse. He had been put on a continuous feed of Cybertronium but it wasn't helping anymore.

He knew then that Ratchet's condition was to the point that his body was no longer able to process the Cybertronium.

He knew that Ratchet's time was almost up.

But when Optimus walked out of Ratchet's room, a look of complete sorrow open in his faceplates, he knew.

He knew.

He knew that his mentor was gone.

"First Aid, you did all you could." Optimus said gently.

"But it wasn't enough." First Aid said, biting his lip plate to keep the tears from streaming down his face past his visor.

"Ratchet was proud of you Aid. He knew that you would be one of the best medic ever. He also knew that there was no stopping what was going to happen." Optimus said, resting his servo on Aid's shoulder plating.

Aid managed to nod once, before brushing past Optimus.

"I must see to his burial." Aid said quietly.

"I understand. Let me know if you need anything." Optimus said before walking away, no doubt to tell Ratchet's close friends from earth.

Aid had his servo resting on the keypad when he broke down. Memories of his mentor, the father he never knew, racing through his processor. He had his spinal support to the wall even as his knees gave out on him. He sank to the floor with a muffled sob, the tears pouring down his faceplates past his visor.

He couldn't go in. He couldn't see his mentor's dead frame on that berth. As the head Medical Officer on Iacon, it was his duty. Not to mention how close he had been to Ratchet. He had to.

But he couldn't face his mentor. He commed Jolt.

"**Jolt, I need you."** He cried.

"**First Aid? What's wrong! Is Ratchet seizing again?"** The young medic asked.

"**He's gone."** Aid managed to sputter.

"**Primus, when!"** Jolt demanded. **"I'm on my way!"**

"**Just now."** Aid said but the comm. was dead. Aid pulled his knees up to his chassis, his arms wrapping around them until Jolt arrived.

A moment later the blue black frame came into view.

"What do you need me to do." Jolt asked, sinking to his knees beside Aid.

"I can't go in there." Aid cried. "I can't. I've seen the offlined before. But…"

"I understand. I'll take care of it." Jolt said gently. "Is it ok if I call Preceptor?" First Aid nodded silently, his optics still unfocused. He was aware of the red mech approaching and resting his servo on Aid's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, First Aid, I knew you were close." Preceptor said before Jolt got to his peds and the two mechs entered Ratchet's room.

The rest of the day was a daze for First Aid. Many mechs and femmes, including the original members of Team Prime all came to see how he was doing. It was clear that he was taking the loss of Ratchet just as hard as his lifelong friend Optimus.

"First Aid?" A mech asked. Aid looked up toward the voice.

"Aid, it is time." Optimus said quietly, the once calm and steady mech broken to one who had just lost his dearest friend.

"I'm coming." Aid said, forcing himself to his peds as he followed Optimus down the halls of Iacon. Soon they were joined by other mechs and a few femmes that had been close to Ratchet. The entire medic staff, Team Prime, Ironhide and Chromia, Jazz, Prowl, the Twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe,and many others were there as well.

"Are you ready?" Optimus asked, turning to Aid.

"No." He said simply before the massive steel doors of the crypts were pulled open. His optics started to tear up again as he followed Optimus into the dark hallway. Ancient torches of fire lit the hall in a orange yellow glow. It made the shadows deeper and the walk longer. First Aid had heard how the greatest Cybertronians were buried here. Ancient frames from the dawn of Cybertron. Most of the Primes, those greatest in their field, warriors, they were all buried here. All too soon though, the procession arrived at the newest room to the crypt. While the work to rebuild Iacon had been the most import thing as of yet, Optimus insisted that they did this to honor their friend.

First Aid hesitated at the entrance to the room. More torches reflected off of the roughly carved steel walls. A single torch was reflected over and over again until it became a spot light on the open casket in the middle of the room. First Aid could only watch as first Optimus, then the rest of Team Prime walked past Ratchet's casket to pay their respects. Slowly everybot filed by except Jolt and Aid.

"Come on." Jolt said in a whisper.

"I don't want to see my mentor laying in a casket." Aid said bluntly, tears streaming down his faceplates. Jolt nodded before stepping forward to pay his own respects.

"You will regret if later." Optimus said quietly, resting a servo on Aid's shoulderbolt.

"I don't want the last memory I have of him to be him about to be buried." Aid said, turning away. To his surprise, Optimus gently wrapped him in a warm embrace.

"I will miss him as well Aid. But he is in a better place. A place where he no longer had to worry about his disabilities."

"I miss him already." Aid whispered, burying his faceplates in the Prime's chest. "He was such a pain in the aft, grouchy, cranky, stubborn mech! But he was my mentor and my best friend and the father I never knew and… and…" Aid trailed off.

"Shhh… It will be alright." Optimus said gently.

"Sir?" A mech spoke up and both Aid and Optimus turned to face him. The other mechs and femmes had left, leaving the medic and the Prime alone with their friend. Optimus glanced down at Aid. Aid looked up at Optimus, before nodding.

"Go ahead." Optimus said quietly. Two other mechs walked in the room and joined the first as they lifted a heavy metal slab. Carefully, they settled it on the open casket before they left without a word. Optimus ex-vented hard before giving Aid a small smile and leaving.

Aid was alone in the crypt.

But at the same time he wasn't. For the first time in a long, sad, hard, time, Aid smiled. He walked over to closed casket, resting a servo on the steel slab.

"I'm gonna miss you Ratchet." He said, tears still streaming down his faceplates. "I'm gonna miss you more then I even thought possible."

He ran his servo over the lid again before dousing the torch and leaving the now pitch black room. As he was leaving, he felt the ghost of a servo on his shoulder. Somehow he knew that even in death, Ratchet would continue to guide his servos like they did the first time and every time after he started his training to become a medic.

He would remember the glyphs carved into the lid with the utmost care for as long as he continued to function.

He would never forget Ratchet.

He would never forget.

Never.

_Ratchet_

_Who Committed His Life to Helping Others_

_Medic, Mentor, Sire and Friend_

_Until All Are One_

**Like I said before, this was hard to write, I cried the entire time, so please no flames.**

**My oma (grandma) was severely injured in a car accident that left her permanently disabled and never able to walk again. She seemed to be doing better but she eventually took a turn for the worst and six and a half years she finally ****passed away June 14 2012.**

**Like what Optimus said to First Aid "I will miss him as well Aid. But he is in a better place. A place where he no longer had to worry about his disabilities." I know that where she is now is a much better place then here will ever be. I know that she will be dancing for joy.**

_**Ratchet's Sick Days**_** hit a nerve because I know what it's like to watch a loved one slowly fade away.**

**This story is dedicated to my oma Martha Penner and to any body else who had to watch as a loved one was buried far too soon.**

**Catch you all later, 1122Nighthawk**


End file.
